1961 Home Run Race

The 1961 Home Run Race was a historic baseball competition between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees. Maris aimed to break Babe Ruth’s longstanding single-season home run record of 60. Despite a slow start, Maris surged in the latter part of the season, ultimately hitting 61 home runs. Mantle also had a strong season, hitting 54. The race captured public attention, highlighting exceptional power-hitting and intense competition in Major League Baseball. Maris’s achievement was remarkable, especially given the context of a long season and the intense media scrutiny.